DCW chief Maliwal meets President, raises Narela incident

NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal met President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday and briefed him about issues related to women safety and the growing menace of illegal drugs and liquor sale in the national capital.

She informed the president about a woman being assaulted for helping the DCW and police unearth an illicit liquor racket in Narela.

"She informed the President that women and girls are the ultimate sufferers of this racket as this is leading to increased crime in the area," said a DCW official.

Recently, the women's panel in collaboration with the police has conducted several raids in Delhi and has caught various offenders selling illegal liquor from their houses in Jahangirpuri, Burari, Holambi Kalan and Narela localities.

Maliwal also requested the president regarding Constitution of a high-level committee comprising the union home minister, chief minister of Delhi, lieutenant governor, police commissioner and the DCW.

The committee should meet twice every month and take decisive steps to improve women safety and to crack on the illegal sale of liquor and drugs in Delhi.

Further, the DCW has also demanded that a strong law should be passed in the country to prevent sexual assaults on women and children.

"Like Madhya Pradesh, a law should be passed by Parliament for the country which should ensure rapists of children are accorded death penalty.

"However, the MP law lacks adequate deterrence as it does not ensure death penalty within six months. The same should be ensured in a Central law to create adequate deterrence," she said.

On Thursday, the woman who helped the DCW and police bust an illicit liquor racket in outer Delhi's Narela was allegedly beaten and her clothes torn by other women of the locality who apparently were involved in bootlegging.

Delhi Police registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code against the women involved in the assault, and six of them were arrested.

Maliwal alleged that the woman had tipped off the commission about illegal liquor sale during an inspection in Narela area on Wednesday night after which she was on Friday attacked by a mob of over 25 people and was assaulted with iron rods.

On Friday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and demanded strict action against those who allegedly assaulted the woman.

He requested the LG to provide security cover to the woman, who was beaten up, other women who had raised their voice against liquor mafia in the area.